MONTEREY PARK >> A four-legged Monterey Park police officer will soon be patrolling with a bullet- and stab-resistant vest thanks to a donation from a charity organization dedicated to protecting police K-9s.

Vested Interests in K9s Inc. announced Friday that Piro had been selected to receive a free vest, provided by Michigan-based manufacturer Armor Express, Jimenez said. The vest is expected to arrive next week.

Monterey Park police have to other K-9s — Robin and Veeda — which have both previously received donated vests through the Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization, the sergeant said.

Vested interests in K9s has provided more than 1,600 protective vests to police dogs in 49 states at a cost of $1.5 million, donated by private and corporate sponsors, Jimenez said. The group estimates there are more than 30,000 law enforcement dogs in the U.S.

Brian Day has covered crime and breaking news for the Southern California News Group since 2007. He’s a graduate of California State University, Fullerton and Cerritos College in Norwalk. He loves dogs and has a pet German shepherd, which in turn, has a pet cat. Brian is a local news junkie, a licensed drone pilot and a part-time science geek with an unfortunate predilection for puns.

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